Electric lantern.



'J. G. PETERSON.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1915.

1,168,826. Patented Jan.18, 1916.

Wifnesses on position, which latter is of importance.

- UNITED STATES A EnT oEEIoE.

J'OHANN G. PETERSON, OF

ELECTRICAL SUPPLY COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION orNEW JEEsEY.

Specification 01' Letters Patent.

ELECTRIC LANTERN.

Application filed May 28, 1915. Serial No. 80,885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHANN G. PETERSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jersey City, in the county .of Hudson and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricLanterns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric lanterns, among the principal objectsof the invention being the provision of an article of this nature whichis simple in construction, susceptible of inexpensive manufacture, theparts of which can be readily assembled and which has means of aneffective character to prevent. accidental movement of a circuitcontrolling or switching member from off to The invention comprisesother features of novelty and advantage, which with the foregoing willbe stated at length in the followmg description wherein .Iwill set forthin detail that one of the several forms of embodiment of the inventionwhich I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying andforming part of the present s ecification. 1 do not restrict myself tothis disclosure; I may depart therefrom in several particulars withinthe scope of the invention defined by the claims following1 saiddescription.

eferring to said drawings: 7 Figure 1 is a top plan view'of a lanterninvolving my invention, the cover being re moved. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the directionof the arrow and showing the cover in position. Fig. 3 is a view on thesame section line 22 of the lamp and certain of its adjuncts. Fig. 4; isa detail view showing the shell which receives the lamp, which isremoved, the manner of mounting the shell and certain other parts. Fig.5 is a sec.- tional' detail of the circuit controlling or switchingmember, a.:--portion of the cover being also illustrated. Figs.' 6 and 7are cross sectional views on theiline 6-7 of Fig.

- 5-1ooking in thedirection of the arrow, Fig.

6 showing the circuit controlling member in two positions by full anddotted lines, and Fig. 7 representing saidmember in the on position.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views,- Figs.3 to and 2.

"is shown .(Fig. 1).

JEBSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 10 MANHATTAN Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

inclusive being on a larger scale than Figs. v

The lantern comprises a suitable source of electrical energy such as thebattery 2 which as shown consists of the well-known dry cell. Thisbattery is preferably suitably incased and protected, and the box or can3 answers satisfactorily in this connection. As represented the box orcan is equipped with a removable cap or cover 4. The body of the box orcan is preferably of conducting mate .rial such for instance as tin, sothat it resents part of the lamp circuit. While it is not imperativethat the cover or cap 4. should.

be of metal, it is conveniently made ofthis substance, and as will beinferred, tin .isv

suitable for 'the purpose. The box or can 3 may be provided with asuitable handle such asthe bail 5, only a part of which,'however, Saidbail is connected with the body of the box or can 3.

The lamp is denoted by 6 and it has the customary contact shell 7 andthe central end contact 8. As shown the \contaot shell is screwed intothe contact shell'ortube 9 provided at its inner end with acircumferential circular flange 10 fitted against and in electricalcontact with the inturned annular flange 11 of the approximatelyfrusto-conical lamp and reflector case 12 of metal, brass answering thenecessary requirements. This flange 11 fits against and is in electricalcontact with the box or can 3, and the means for holding the case 12 inposition will be hereinafter described. Associated with the lamp 6 isthe reflector 13 and lens 14, both carried by the case 12. 1

Inside the box or can 3 is a contact as 15 shown as resilient and whichcan be'formed 'up conveniently from sheet metal. Said con- .tact member15 is disposed between the battery or cell 2 and the inner wall of thebox or can 3, the free portion thereof extending upwardly above the topof the battery to cooperate with a secondcontact as will hereinaftermore particularly appear. .Between the contact member 15 and the box orcan 3 is interposed a strip of insulating material such as 16; fiberpresents a suitable substance in this regard. Also disposed between the.

cell 2 and the box or can 3 is an attaching member such asthe plate 17.Between this plate 17 and the butt portion of the contact member is apiece of insulation as 18, and

fiber may be provided for this purpose. Asv I shown the butt portion ofthe contact member 15 has lugs'19 bent over the upper and lower edges ofthe insulation 18. The plate 17 as represented is provided withperipheral projections 20- extending through registering openings in theinsulation 18, butt portion of the contact member insulation 16, can 3,and flanges 11 and 10, the forward ends of these projections being bentover the front face of the flange 10 whereb% the parts mentioned can besecurely and e ectively held in assembled relation, The lamp 6 is somounted that its contact end can project through openings in the can 3and insulation 16, by reason of which its central end contact 8 canengage the butt portion of the contact member 15 at which time, as willbe clear, the contact shell 7 of the lamp is in contact with thesupporting contact shell 9. Supported by the battery or cell 2 is a Isuitable insulating member such as the disk 21 of fiber and eyeleted orotherwise suitably connected'to this insulating member 21 are thecontact members 22 and 23, the body of the contact member 22 beinglongitudinally slotted to receive the screw 24: of one pole of thebattery 2, whilethe body of the contact member 23 is slotted to receivethe body of the screw.25 of the other pole or terminal of the battery.The upstanding portion 22 of the contact member 22 presents. the contactproper thereof, being cooperative with the contact member 15, being aswill be evident somewhat resilient. The upstanding portion ofth'e'contact 23 has electrical connection, bycon'tact,with the innersurface of the can or box 3. It will, therefore, be clear that if thelamp 6 is in position and that if the contact 15 and upstanding portion22 of the contact 22 be bridged, the lamp will be lighted. The circuitcontrolling or switching member is preferably carried by the removablecover 4 and a circuit controllin member such as meets my requirementsWlll now be described. Said circuit controllin or switching memberinvolves in its 'ma e up the central spindle 26 extending through a holeor provide with a button or manipulating portion 28. The spindle isfurther provided with a circular enlargement or collar 29 fitted in saidperforation or opening 27 for turning movement. The lower portion of thebutton or finger piece 28 overlies'the cover 4. The connector of thecircuit icontrolling 0, an it ma for instance be of brass,'hav'- mg at'ts en s the lobes31 and 32. It will so be noted-that the lobe 31 is ofgreater width than the lobe 32, which presents one conven ent means forpreventing accidental closing of the said circuit controlling orswitching member as will-hereinafter more 66 particularly appear. Fittedaround the erforation 27 in the top 4,-being or switching member isdenoted by.

spindle 26 are the insulating pieces 33 and 34 which may be also offiber, the lower insulating piece having the central boss 35 extendingcomparatively snugly into the cen-- tral opening of the connector 30.The insulating)pieces'33 and 3 1 and the connector 30 may manner, forinstance by staking the inner or lowerend of the spindle over the lowerinsulating part 33 as shown at 36. The spindle 26 is disposed betweenthe resilient contacts of the contact members 15 and 22 and by turningsaid spindle, the connector 30 may be turned therewith to either movethe connector to the open or the closed position. Said connector isshown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 in the open position and in closedposition in full lines in said view. In the latter position itsimultaneously engages the contacts of the contact members 15 and 22 soas to effect the lighting of the lamp 6 if the latter be in place. Thearticle is shipped with the circuit controlling or switching member inopen position. It is subjected naturally to jars or vibration. No matterin which direction it may be moved accidentally under the conditionsnoted or something similar, the circuit controlling member or theconnector 30 thereof cannot be closed. When the connector 30 moves inone direction from the open position thereof as shown by the full linesin Fig. 6, the wide lobe 31 will strike the contact ofthe contact member22 before the narrow lobe 32strikes the contact of the contact member15, whereas if the connector moves in the opposite direction or to thedotted position 1n Fig. 6, the wide lobe 31 will strike the contact ofthe e clamped together in any desirable contact member 15 before saidnarrow lobe can come against the contact of the contact member 32, sothat in each event the circuit cannot be closed. By turning the spindle26 through the agency of a button 28 or its equivalent, the connector 30can be easily -moved to circuit closing position as shown connectorsimultaneously accidentally en both contacts.

2. n electric lantern comprising a case having a battery therein,contacts electrically connected with the terminals of the battery, andcircuit controlling means, said circuit controlling means comprisin aspindle havinga collar, insulating mem ers and a connector between theinsulating members, the spindle being provided with means for clampingthein'sjulating member and the connector together with one of theinsulate ing members against said collar, the spindle being disposedbetween the contacts and movable to cause the connector to assumecircuit opening and circuit'closing positions.

3. An electric lantern comprising a case of conducting material, a lampreceiving shell in electrical connection with said case, an attachingmember in the case, a 'contact between the attaching member and the caseinsulated from'both, the attaching member being provided withlugsextending through the case for securing said-lamp receiving shell inposition, a battery in the case having two'contacts, one of whichcooperates 1 with said other contact and is electrically connected withon'e'terminal of the battery, and'theother of which is electricallyconnected with the otherterminal of the battery and is electricallyconnected with the case.

4. An electric lantern comprisinga case of conducting material, acontact member in the case, insulating material between'the contactmember and the case, a lamp sup.-

' porting shell exteriorly a circumferential flange, an attaching plateof the. case, having in the case, insulating material between the 4attaching plate and the contact member, the

attaching plate-having projections and the two pieces of insulatingmaterial and said flange having openings-t0 receive said projections,the latter being bent over the flange 'to hold the several partstogether,"the first mentioned piece of insulatin ingan opening toreceivet contact of a lamp, having contacts,.on'e of which iselectrically connected with one terminal of the battery material havandcooperates with said contact member, and the other of which iselectrically con-- nected with the other terminal of the battery and isconnected electrically with said case. 1

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

I J OHANN G. PETERSON.

- Witnesses: I

P. A. How, WI L AM ELLIOT.

35 e central end J and a battery-in the case

